Acetylene-generator.



-No.'738,' 794. PATENTED SEPT.1'5,1903.

J. M. GREEN, DEGD.

P. S. DARBOHN, ADMINISTRATOR.

AGETYLENE GENERATOR.

.APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 26. 1900. RENEWED JULY 1'7, 1903.

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Witnesses. Inventor.

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No. 738,794. PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903'.

- J. M. GREEN, DEGD.

P. S. DARROHN, ADMINISTRATOR.

AGETYLENE GENERATOR. APPLICATION IILEDDUT. 25. 1900. RENEWED JULY 17. 1903. no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented September 15, 19 03.

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JEROME M. GREEN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK; PERRY S. DARROHN, AD-

MINISTRATOR OF SAID GREEN, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARD H. THURSTON, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

ACETYLEN E-G EN ERATOR.

$PECIFIGATION formingpart of Letters IE'atent No. 738,794, dated September 15, 1903.

Application filed October 26, 1900. Renewed July 17, 1903. Serial No. 166,049. (No model.)

To all whom it nuty concern.-

Be it known that I, JEROME M. GREEN, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifilo cation, and to the referencenumerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved generator to be employed for producing gas from calcium or other carbid and onethatis adapted particularly for use upon railway-cars or similar vehicles where the generator is subjected to sudden jars or jolts tending to disturb the equilibrium of thewater or other liquid employed to act upon the carbid.

The further object of. my invention is to control the action of the liquid upon the carbid whereby the gas may be produced slowly at an even pressure and without unduly increasing thetemperature of the parts of the generator and also to provide means for preventing the splashing or formation of waves in the liquid as the generator is agitated.

To these ends my invention consists in cer- 0 tain improvements in construction and combination of parts, all as will be described, and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sec- 5 tional view through a generator constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to that of Fig 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the 1ine3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sec- 0 tional view on the line 4: 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a supplemental generating-box, and Fig. 7 is a sectional View of the receiving or storage tank.

5 Similar reference-numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

Generators constructed in accordance with my invention embody generally an outer casing open at its upper end, having the sides 1 and the bottom 2, an inner casing embodying the sides 3 and top 4, and an inclosed generating-chamber, the latter open at its lower end, having the sides 6 and top 7, through which latter pass bolts 8, securing the chamber within the inner casing and supporting the former with its sides 6 above the lower edges of the latter. A suitable gas-pipe 9, leading from the side of the generatingchamber below its top, passes to'the exterior of the generator and is connected to a gasome- 6o ter or reservoir, to be presently described, and

ing provided tocenter it, and the latter (upper) section is somewhat smaller in diameter and .separated from the lower section, as shown, being held by supporting-pieces 14. A series of supporting wires orbars 15, extending across the lower section 11 near its top and arranged at a slight angle to the horizontal, so that one side of the mass of carbid will be lower-than the rest, permitting the liquid as it runs in the chamber to contact with but a small portion thereof, and at the ends of the barsare apertures 16 to allow the entrance of the'liquid as it rises upon the outside of the support, as will be presently'described. Below the carbid-support is arranged a device for preventing the splashing or slopping of the liquid from side to side, arranged loosely upon supports 17 e and consisting of a band of flat spring metal 18, bent into the form of a spiral. It will be readily seen that any sudden movement of the liquid sidewise will be resisted by the coils of the spiral band which are free to 5 move from side to side of the center of the chamber, permitting the several convolutions to be moved closer together, forming aseries of narrow passages upon the side of the chamher where the pressure of upward current of too the liquid is the greatest, thereby increasing the friction upon the latter and successfully preventing a wave motion upon the surface thereof.

When during the operation of the machine the water-level is above the spiral and in proximity to the carbid, if the generator is sufficiently agitated to cause a wave the edges of the latter will simply wash over the upper edge of the casing 11, the upper section 12 being separated therefrom and smaller in diameter to prevent the liquid forming the wave from contacting therewith. Stationary plates or partitions might be employed in lieu of the spiral spring band; but I prefer to use the device described, as I am enabled to space the supporting-bars for the carbid farther apart to allow the ashes or hydrated lime from the carbid to readily drop away,

the smaller pieces of the uuslaked carbid which may drop through the bars will be arrested upon the closer-wound edges of the spiral until entirely reduced, and the slight vibrating movement of the latter as the water strikes against it also tends to prevent the deposit of any ashes thereon. Provided in the-lower end of the section 11 are a series of apertures 19, arranged with their lower edges somewhat above the bottom of the section, and provided upon the exterior of the latter are valves or doors 20, hinged to the section at their upper edges and adapted to normally close the apertures against the inward movement of the liquid, though free to move outwardly as the gas expels the water from the chamber, carrying with it the ashes from the decomposed carbid.

When in operation, the parts of the generator are arranged as shown,and the inner casing is secured within the outer one by means of a bar 21, secured atits opposite ends by nuts 22 on the threaded ends of bolts 23, secured to the outer casing. In the top 4 of the inner casing I provide an opening normally closed by a screw-plug 24, through which the liquid maybe supplied to the generator, and in the present construction of my device I am enabled to arrange my casing of a suitable size relative to the quantity of gas to be produced, whereby all the liquid that is necessary to reduce the given quantity of carbid and also produce the required pressure on the gas may be introduced into the casing at one time, thereby obviating the necessity of employing a separate liquid-feeding apparatus, and by my arrangement of the device the pressure of the gas is not materially afiected by the reduction in the volume of the liquid. The generating-chamber is preferably arranged upon one side of the inner casing, and a portion of the latter at onesideofthe chamberispartitioned off bythe curved partition 25 and the crescent-shaped top and bottom portions 26 and 27, the former being arranged upon a line with thetop 7 of the, generating-chamber and the latter lo cated near the bottom edge thereof, providing a broad space for the liquid and residue from the carbid at the bottom of the generator and narrowing the passages at the side of the chamber, thereby reducing the verticallyextending column of liquid and its compressional force upon the gas. As the liquid is forced upward by the gas it is allowed to flow over the top 70f thechamber and the top 26, and arranged between these and the top 4 of the inner casing are plates 27 and 28, pro-- vided with apertures in their lower edges, adapted to prevent the free movement of liquid from side to side, and apertures 29 in the upper edges of the plates allow the air or gas contained therein to escape and pass out through an open vent or pipe 30.

In order to arrest the rotary movement of the liquid between the inner and outer sections, radially-extending plates or partitions 31 are arranged upon the former, and upon the outer side of the lower section 11 of the carbid-support I also arrange similar plates 32, as shown in Figs.'3 and 5. By leaving the space between the inner and outer sections of the generator open at the top the atmospheric pressure upon the liquid in the generator is always constant, and I do not necessarily rely upon the vent to accomplish this purpose and insure a steadiness in the flame at the burner when the generator is jolted or subjected to a sudden movement in a vertical direction, as would otherwise be the case. 33 indicates a pipe arranged at the side of the generating-chamber and extending in proximity to the top of the inner section, where it is provided with an aperture 34, a similar aperture or V'shaped notch being arranged at its lower end and extending upwardly slightly above the lower edge of the generator-casing to permit the escape of the air contained therein upon first starting the generator, as will be explained. In Fig. 6 I have shown a supplemental generating device in the form of a box 40, having the cover 41, each of said parts being provided with a minute aperture 42, through which the liquid is admitted slowly to a small piece of carbid placed therein.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a reservoir consisting of a tank 50, adapted to be placed at the side of the generator into which the gas is conducted by the pipe 9, any suitable form of detachable connection being employed to permit the inner casing of the generator to be removed when the device is recharged, or, as the reservoir is comparatively small, it may be rigidly attached to the inner casing and elevated with the latter when it is removed. A drainage-cock (not shown) is arranged in the side of the casing to allow the water to be drawn off and to maintain its proper .level above the end of the pipe 9. 43 indicates a conical-shaped dash-plate secured at the sides to the interior of the reservoir at the waterlevel and provided at its top with an aperture 44, and around its edges are a series of apertures 45. The conical formation of the pressure in said chamber, while the check valve formed by the liquid will maintain the pressure in the reservoir, and by admitting the gas in a horizontal line near the surface of the liquid the latter will be circulated in,

the reservoir and the gas more thoroughly washed.

In operating the generator the parts are as sembled as shown in Fig. 2, with the carbid supported upon the bars 15, as shown, and the box 40, having the carbid therein, located in the bottom of the section 11. Thewater or other liquid is then introduced in the proper quantity into the generator through the supply-aperture in the top 4 of the inner section and flowing downward works its way beneath the section 11 and as it rises therein first enters the box .40 through one of the apertures 42 and contacting with the carbid therein immediately generates gas, which as it rises in the chamber 6 will begin to expel the air therein, and as the valve 10 in the pipe 9 has been previously closed the mixed air and gas will pass upward through the pipe 33 above the level of the liquid and to the exterior of the casing through the vent 30. By inclosing the carbid employed for this purpose in a separate box the generation of the gas is slow and somewhat under control, and the gas being lighter and warmer than the air it rises to the top of the chamber, expelling the air from the generatingchamber without subjecting any portion of the mass of carbid to the action of the liquid, and the pressure of the gas previously generated is sufficient to hold the liquid outside of the chamber 6. When a further supply of gas is desired, the valve 10 may be opened, when the reduced pressure in the generating-chamber will permit the liquid to rise therein and contact with the mass of carbid to produce the gas as rapidly as it is required, and any excess of gas will expel the liquid from the chamber.

The downward and outward movement of the liquid as it is forced outward through the apertures 19 carries with it the ashes or hydrat-ed lime, and the check-valves or doors 20, closing and forming a check against its inward movement, causes the sediment to be deposited around the edges of the outer section, and the free entrance of the liquid being prevented by the valves the liquid only enters the casing through the apertures 16 as it rises in the narrow passages between the section and the sides 6 of the generating-chamber. This flowing of the liquid causes currents therein, so that the heated liquid which is expelled each time the carbid is acted upon is thoroughly cooled and mixed with the remaining liquid'before it again enters the gen erating-chamber. The cool liquid only being permitted to act upon the carbid, cooler gas is produced than would otherwise be the result, and by arranging the parts so that the surrounding liquid forms a comparatively short and narrow vertical column I am enabled to maintain an even pressure upon the gas. The enlarged space at the bottom of the casing affords ample room in which to accommodate the residue from the decomposed carbid, and the corresponding space in the upper end of the inner section above the generating-chamber and plate 26 permits me to employ a comparatively large supply of liq- .uid without materially increasing the height of the vertical column to afiect the gas-pressure. The liquid being free to flow over the top of the generating-chamber, the latter is prevented from becoming heated, and the perforated partitions or walls 27' 28 prevent an undue movement of the liquid in the casing.

It will be noted that the gas-passage 9 from the generating-chamber passes out below the upper end thereof and that the upper end of the upper section of the carbid-holder is below the top of said chamber, so that the gas is necessarily brought in contact with cool metal surfaces before it passes out of the chamber and also afterward in the pipe 9 and any moisture condensed.

The construction of the carbid-holder is such that the liquid is prevented from splashing upon the carbid when the generator is agitated,this resultbeing accomplished partly by the spiral or involute spring in the bottom, and while I prefer that this device be of spring material and in the shape shown its principal feature is that it is, in effect, a series of vertically-extending plates, which to some extent are movable relatively to the sides of the casing and to each other.

Generators constructed in accordance with my invention are self-regulating, and it is only necessary to supply the carbid and liquid in sufficient quantities to obtain excellent results. The device is simple in construction, and the arrangement of parts described prevents the excessive movement of the liquid and its action upon the carbid, making it particularly adapted for use upon railwaycars, vehicles, or in similar places where it is constantly subjected to forces tending to disturb the normal position of the liquid.

1 claim as my invention-- 1. In a generator the combination with an outer section, adapted to contain a liquid, an inner section arranged in the former and open at its lower end, and a generating-chamber located in the latter, of a carbid-holder arranged in the generating-chamber, embodying a lower tubular section having the open carbid-support and a similar separate section above the latter, and a gas-passage leading from the said chamber.

2. In a generator the combination with an IIO tained in the generating-chamber, embodying the lowersection having the carbid-support and the upper section smaller in diameter than the former arranged above the said support.

3. In a generator the combination with an outer casing adapted to contain a liquid, an

inner section open at the lower end, a generating-chamber located in the latter having the lower open end, and the gas-pipe leading therefrom, of the removable carbid-holder fitting witbin the chamber having the carbidsupport and provided with apertures arranged in proximity to the support, and vertically-extending wings or flanges on the holder forming narrow passages between the latter and the sides of the chamber.

4:. In a generator the combination with an outer section adapted to contain a liquid, an inner section therein open at its lower end, a generating-chamber having the lower open end, and a gas-pipe leading from the chamber, of a carbid-holder located within the chamber and having a carbid-support and open above the support and having apertures in its sides near the lower edges, and valves for closing the apertures and permitting the passage of liquid through them in but one direction.

5. In a generator the combination with an outer section adapted to contain a liquid, an inner section open at its lower end, and a gaschamber having an outlet-passage, of a carbid-holder within the lower end of the chamber having wings upon the exterior forming with the chamber-walls narrow passages and provided with the apertures near the upper ends of said passages, and apertures arranged in the lower end ofthe holder and valve therefor.

6. In a generator the combination with an outer section adapted to contain a liquid, an inner section provided therein open at its lower end, and the generating-chamber in the latter section having the lower open end supported above the bottom of the outer section, of a carbid-holder open at the upper end having the outer wall extending into the lower end of the chamber, the radially-extending wings thereon forming the separate passages between the proximate faces of the walls, and the valves located in the side of the carbidholder operating to permit the passage of the liquid in one direction only relatively to the carbid.

7. In a generator the combination with an outer casing containing a liquid, an inner casing having the open bottom arranged therein, and a generating-chamber located in the latter casing open at the lower end and having the gas-outlet passage, of a carbid-holder embodying a shell, adapted to fit within the V chamber having a support for the carbid near its upper portion and provided with apervices forming a series of open liquid-passages beneath the carbid-support.

8. In agenerator the combination with an outer casing containing a liquid, an inner casing open upon its lower end, a generatingchamber having the open bottom and arranged in the casing with narrow vertical liquid-passages at its sides terminating in enlarged chambers at their ends, of a carbidholder embodying a shell or casing within the generating-chamber and means for supporting the carbid, passages between the adjacent walls of the support and chamber and means for controlling the horizontal movement of the liquid in the carbid-holder beneath the support.

9. In a generator the combination witha casing containing a liquid, an inner section arranged therein having the open bottom, a gas-generating chamber open at the lower end arranged in the latter section, and the narrow passages for the liquid surrounding the chamber communicating at their ends with enlarged liquid-chambers extending upon opposite ends of the generating-chamber, of a holder for the carbid arranged in the chamber having the carbid-support and provided with passages for the liquid and means arranged beneath the support for c011- trolling the horizontal movement of the liquid.

10. In a generator the combination with a casing containing a liquid, an inner section provided therein having the open lower end, a generating-chamber arranged in the latter open at its lower end and having the topicnarrow passage surrounding the chamber connecting the larger spaces at the ends thereof and perforated partitions arranged in space at the top of the section, of the carbidsupport located in chamber, and means provided in the holder for controlling the horizontal movement of the liquid therein.

11. In a generator the combination with a casing containing a liquid, an inner section contained therein open at the lower end, and a generating-chamber arranged in the latter section having the lower open end, of a carbid-holder embodying a shell or casing adapt ed to fit within the chamber having the carbid-support and a shell separated from the casing and mounted thereon above the support, and inlet and outlet passages for the liquid in the holder.

12. In a generator the combination with a casing containing a liquid, an inner section provided therein open at the lower end, and a generating-chamber arranged in the latter having the lower open end, of a carbid-holder embodying a shell or casing fitting loosely in the chamber having the carbid-support and a shell separated from the casing and mounted above the support, inlet-passages leading tures for the passage of the liquid, and de- 2 catedbelow that of the inner section, the rg5 into the holder at its upper end and valved exit-passages for the liquid at the bottom of the holder.

13. In a generator the combination with a casing containing a liquid, an inner section therein open at the lower end, and a generating-chamber having the lower open end, of a shell or casinglocated in the generating-chamber provided with the carbid support and having the apertures at its upper end near the support and the valved apertures at its lower end, the shell separated from the cas-' ing and held above the carbid-support and means arranged in the holder beneath the support for controlling the horizontal move ment of the liquid in the holder.

14. In a generator the combination with an outer casing containing a liquid, an inner easing open at the bottom having the sides parallel with those of the outer casing and the wings or partitions between the proximate faces of said section, a generating-chamber open at the lower end, a narrow passage surrounding said chamber connecting the enlarged spaces in the inner section upon the opposite ends of the generating-chamber, and a perforated plate controlling the horizontal movement of the liquid in the top of the inner casing, of a carbid-holder arranged within the generating-chamber forming vertical passages for the liquid between the adjacent sides of said chamber and holder, wings or partitions arranged between said parts and means located in the holder for controlling the horizontal movement of the liquid therein.

15. In an acetylene-generator the combination with a generating-chamber and a carbidsupport therein arranged above the bottom,

of vertically-extending plates located in the chamber beneath the carbid-support to control the lateral movement of liquid in the generating-chamber.

16. In an acetylene-generator,the combination with agenerating-chamber and a carbidsupport therein arranged above the bottom, of vertically-extending plates located in the chamber beneath the carbid-support and movable laterally relatively thereto to control the movement of liquid therein.

17. In an acetylene-generator,the combination with a generatingchamber and a carbidsupport therein arranged above the bottom, of vertically-extending plates located in the chamber beneath the carbid-support to control the lateral movement of the liquid therein, said plates being laterally movable relatively to each other and to the walls of the chamber to control the movement of the liquid.

18. In an acetylene-generat0r,the combination with a generating-chamber and a carbidsupport therein arranged above the bottom of the chamber, of a horizontal spiral strip arranged in the chamber beneath the support with its convolutions capable of moving relatively to control the movement of the liquid.

19. In an acetylene-generator the combination with a generating-chamber and a carbidsupport therein, of a spiral strip of spring material arranged in the chamber beneath the support with its convolu tions capable of moving relativelyand attached rigidly at one end.

20. In an acetylene-generator the combination with a generating-chamber, of a carbidholder therein embodying a lower section and an upper section of relatively smaller diameter and slightly separated from the former, said lower section having a carbid-sulpport below its upper end and one or more apertures in its sides.

21. In an acetylene-generator the combination with a generating-chamber, of acarbidholder therein having a carbid-support above the bottom of the chamber and apertures in the sides at difierent levels and outwardlyopening valves for the lower apertures.

22. In an acetylene-generator the combination with a generating-chamber, of a carbidholder having an open carbid-support, and apertures in the sides at different levels, outwardl y-openin g valves for the lower apertures and verticallyextending laterally-movabl plates arranged beneath the support for controlling the movement of liquid.

23. In an acetylene-generator the combina tion with a generating-chamber, of a carbidholder therein having an open carbid-support and openings at, above and below said support, outwardly-opening valves for the lowermost openings and the spirally-wound yielding plate in the holder below the carbid-support.

JEROME M. GREEN.

Witnesses:

G. WILLARD Bron, WALTER B. PAYNE. 

